Arsenal 18yo leaves on loan | OneFootball

18-year-old midfielder Laila Harbert has joined Portland Thorns on loan until January, in a move designed to fast-track her development in the NWSL.

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18-year-old playmaker/defensive midfielder, Laila Harbert, will spend the first half of the season in the NWSL with Portland Thorns currently in fifth place chasing a play-off spot. They have nine regular season games remaining.

That is certainly a bold and interesting choice for the youngster and I am sure it will accelerate her development at the right time. Experiencing a new country, a new league, a different kind of football and different training methods can only benefit her.

In terms of succession planning for the defensive midfield spots at Arsenal, there are likely to be big changes at the end of the season with Lia Wälti and/or Kim Little on their way out.

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Kyra Cooney-Cross needs to make the number 6 role in the double pivot hers. We know that Mariona Caldentey can play efficiently there and Victoria Pelova played many games there with success under Jonas Eidevall.

You would expect Arsenal to buy a number 6 either in this window, the January one or next summer. Then, Harbert could enter the rotation as one of the four defensive midfield players in summer 2026 if she is ready, or a year later.

Laila reminds me of Cesc Fàbregas. She is technically strong, can use both feet, and her execution in tight spaces with one or two touches is excellent. She is there if you want to build up play from midfield and she can pass the ball.

She is a real diamond that just needs to be polished.

We have seen all her qualities on a regular basis with the England youth teams at the U17 and U19 Euros as well as at the U17 Women’s World Cup. She had quite a successful loan at Southampton in the second part of the season and I really think the Portland loan will develop her first as a person and then as a footballer.

Hopefully, she will develop assertiveness and leadership qualities over there as well as getting physically stronger and quicker, which is needed in the NWSL.

She could be a mainstay in the Arsenal team in the future for many years to come if things go according to plan.